Contrasting Worldviews

Buried deep in the human psyche are timeless questions, questions that surface frequently and suddenly throughout one’s lifetime. Every person capable of rational thought thinks these things. There are no exceptions. There are no exclusions.

Who am I? (identity)

Why am I here? (purpose)

What is going to happen to me? (future, life after death)

Where did I come from, and how and when did all this start? (origins)

No human being operates without a bias, a predisposition to believe one idea over another. In religious terms we would call that bias “faith.”

The naturalist believes that there is no supernatural force in existence and that man has reached the stage in eternity where he is able to direct the evolutionary development of the universe. The creationist believes that a Creator God exists and that the creatures of that God must seek to understand the Creator’s will.

The common data that both believers share will be interpreted in the light of the belief system (worldview, faith) that the individual holds. When we ask the questions that plague our minds (why is the world so full of evil? Or, why can’t we all get along? Or, why can’t we seem to get “enough?” Or, is it always going to be this way?), the answers come from our worldview. What we believe will frame our reactions, our priorities, and our expectations.

The Bible describes the many facets of belief systems (worldviews) in their simplest and most fundament form: truth or lie.

The ultimate contrast is between the revelation of the Creator-God who cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18) and the great adversary, Satan, who is the “father” of the lie (John 8:44). The Bible provides a comprehensive and logically consistent body of answers and explanations to all of the critical worldview issues: who (including Who), what, where, when, how, and why. In fact, the Bible even has an explanation for why we have such different viewpoints on the critical worldview issues. The Bible also predicts cause-and-effect connections between the kind of worldview we have, the kind of actions we take in life, and the impact of those actions, both here and in the hereafter.

Related Articles

About a month ago, some experts suggested that the coronavirus shutdown presented an opportunity to test the assumption that humans are responsible for increasing amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide...

Are people growing weary of scientific experts giving them contradictory instructions for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic? It seems that there may be an increasing willingness by politicians and ordinary...

One of the most frustrating things a person can go through is for their normally stable computer system, tablet, or phone, to suddenly stop working—a bad patch, a bad virus, or just old age. Whatever...

On the morning of May 19, 2020, the Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, declared a state of emergency for Midland County after two dams broke from heavy rain that poured across the state.1
According...

COVID-19 containment strategies are changing the dynamics of world missions. According to Christianity Today, many missionaries are stranded in temporary locations or unable to return to the missionary...

For many patriotic souls in Norway, May 17 this year will be a day of dampened disappointment—worse than raining on a parade. Why? Because there will be no parade on a patriotic holiday that is more...

Some lands welcome newcomers, while others oppose incoming foreigners. Scotland is no exception—and recent population news can be compared to prior controversies with “foreign” newcomers.1,2
Because...

Stress levels have been rising for people all over the globe these last few weeks. News about the rapidly-spreading coronavirus, shelter-in-place orders, social restrictions, economic tailspins, and more...

A piece of string about 6 millimeters long is threatening standard evolutionary theory about the history of humanity.
The BBC reported that researchers from the United States, France, and Spain recently...

With social distancing measures in place, it may be tempting to think that the work of Christian missions has ceased. After all, most people are limited to their own homes and essential activities.
Yet,...

Even the Gideons are adjusting to the coronavirus world.
For over a century, Gideon volunteers have been providing literally billions of Bibles to hotels, healthcare providers, military personnel, prisoners,...

The coronavirus is producing a large spectrum of reactions from people around the globe.
On one end, some people are extremely careful. They follow social distancing guidelines, wash their hands until...

As the number of those infected with COVID-19 grows dramatically with each passing hour, governments tighten their grip, trying desperately to slow the spread of the virus and mitigate the damage being...

All over the world, the coronavirus is changing everything at a breakneck pace. Businesses are closing, millions of people are confined to their homes, and frantic binge-buyers are placing unprecedented...

Abstract
An anti-Darwinian theory of biological origins that was well received and widely accepted for years was creative evolution. This theory attempted to deal with some of the major problems of Darwin's...

In speaking to college audiences about the creation-evolution controversy, the most common response I have encountered is, "Why can we not accept both evolution and Christianity? Is it not reasonable...

With the rise of uniformitarian geology and Darwinian evolution in the nineteenth century, the stage was set for a naturalistic interpretation of life. Naturalism would soon pervade every facet of life...

Did God use vast ages of time, even millions and billions of years, to bring the universe and the world to its present form? Many Christians have adopted this view during the past two centuries in order...

High school students' beliefs regarding origins are very important. Many high school students claim to believe in a supernatural theistic Creator. Many also report a born-again experience and would thus...

Recently I had the privilege of addressing a gathering of state legislators and other influential political individuals. These gifted men and women are typically highly educated, most having been taught...

A recently published book has the provocative title and subtitle: Astronomy on Trial—A Devastating and Complete Repudiation of the Big Bang Fiasco. The author is Roy C. Martin, Jr., and the 245-page...

Christians who believe the Biblical record of recent creation and the worldwide Flood have long recognized the key significance of the Apostle Peter's commentary on these two defining events in world history....

Most Christians are uncomfortable with purely naturalistic evolution. The solution for many Christians has been to adopt theistic evolution, which is based on the idea that the God of the Bible employed...

As the nation celebrates American liberty on the Fourth of July each year, it would be appropriate for all Americans (including those who have come here from other nations in search of that same freedom)...

Someone once asked me how we should approach those from totally different cultures who were coming to live in the culture we have grown up in. Should we urge them to capitulate totally to our own cultural...

The Institute for Creation Research is a multi-faceted organization. ICR conducts meetings for university students as well as pre-schoolers. We do scientific research and speak in churches. Our goal...